en.Wedoany.com Reported - Renascor Resources (ASX:RNU) latest cost study shows that its hydrofluoric acid-free purified spherical graphite (PSG) process has an operating cost of approximately $459 per ton, which the company believes supports the potential to deliver commercially competitive battery-grade PSG outside of China without using hydrofluoric acid (HF).
Renascor's process employs sulfuric acid leaching and low-temperature alkali roasting, integrated with water treatment to achieve reagent recovery and reduce water consumption. The study draws on engineering data and operating assumptions from large-scale trials, process optimization, water treatment research, and demonstration plant development. The Australian government-backed PSG demonstration plant in South Australia is being commissioned and will generate operating data and certification samples for customer and partner engagement.
Managing Director David Christensen stated that Renascor plans to establish an integrated Australian operation from mine to PSG. He said that as global battery supply chains increasingly seek competitive non-China sources of battery materials, Renascor's strategy is to combine the scale and quality of the Siviour graphite deposit with downstream PSG processing in South Australia. Christensen indicated that this strategy will extend Siviour's low-cost advantage to downstream battery-grade graphite, providing anode manufacturers with secure, competitive supply using an HF-free purification process. Current work through the PSG demonstration plant project aims to validate this value proposition by generating operating data, cost information, and certification samples to support engagement with anode and cell manufacturers, advance customer qualification programs, and drive offtake and strategic partnership discussions.
The cost study shows total operating costs of $459/ton for Renascor's HF-free purification process. Key cost drivers are: reagents $121/ton, energy $115/ton, labor $79/ton, maintenance $74/ton, and other costs (including water treatment and overheads) $70/ton. This estimate covers only the purification stage, including leaching, roasting, washing, filtration, gas scrubbing, and water treatment, and excludes spheronization, logistics, financing, or other costs outside purification. The study assumes a commercial PSG plant with a design capacity of approximately 50,000 tons per year at Bolivar, South Australia, where Renascor holds a lease option with SA Water. Renascor noted that the design capacity is an assumed configuration for the study, not a production target.
Purification is a key cost step in downstream PSG production, requiring battery-grade specifications of 99.95% or higher carbon content. Traditional purification typically relies on hydrofluoric acid (HF), which can increase costs outside China due to reagent pricing and operational requirements. Renascor's HF-free process has produced battery-grade graphite with carbon purity exceeding 99.99% in large-scale locked-cycle tests, with no impurities detected above customer specifications. The company is commissioning its PSG demonstration plant, where the process offers potential advantages through lower reagent costs, recovery, and simpler operations. The facility will convert spherical graphite into PSG through a continuous process, enabling Renascor to test, demonstrate, and optimize purification. Renascor received a A$5 million federal critical minerals grant in July 2024 to build the plant, and the experience gained will support detailed design, optimization, and commercialization of its planned downstream PSG operations.
The demonstration plant will generate operating data on purification performance, reagent usage, water treatment, process stability, and product quality under continuous conditions. Renascor is engaging with potential customers and partners by generating and sharing operating data and certification samples. These workstreams are designed to support customer qualification, offtake, and strategic investment as Renascor advances commercial-scale downstream development.
